September 10th, 2008, 3 Comments »
Via Upcoming, I read about the SkyTrain Security unconference being organized by Karen Fung. From the very informative About page:
Between now and the unconference, we would like this website to host conversations on this topic. Part of it is just even learning about what questions to ask, and which questions are most important in making changes, big or small, to the existing system.
What comes out of the unconference will be brought forward to a future meeting with SkyTrain and TransLink. That’s about as much as we know right now, as the team is still working on the finer details, but we will keep you all updated on the blog.
They’re in the planning stages. I like Roland’s idea of running the unconference in a SkyTrain car as it moves around Vancouver.
I wouldn’t rank SkyTrain security as a bearing issue in need of my attention, but I’m happy that others are thinking about it in an open and relatively transparent way.
3 Comments »
March 14th, 2008, 2 Comments »
Here’s something I didn’t know about hotels. Halfway through my stay at the Sheraton Wall Centre here in Vancouver, I decided to extend my stay by one night. Today I went up to my room, but couldn’t get in (the little lock light flashed red, not green).
This happens all the time to me–I think I have a wonky magnetic field that kills access cards. When I went downstairs to get a replacement, however, I learned that it was because I hadn’t received a new card when I extended my stay.
I asked, and I gather that the card knows how long it’s valid for. That makes complete sense, but I’d never actually thought through it.
I know that’s fairly lame, but what can I tell you? It’s been a busy week.
2 Comments »
October 21st, 2007, 2 Comments »
My friend Todd has been writing a series of blog posts on passwords as a technology. I haven’t read the others yet, but the fourth installment is great. It discusses how to create strong (and more importantly) easy-to-remember passwords:
These improvements happen at the will and ability of the people making web and desktop applications. As such, users will always be waiting for them to happen if they haven’t already. This post takes things to the methodological side, which is more the user’s domain, by describing the rules I use to make strong yet memorable passwords that are unique for each account.
Todd provides a handy, dandy formula for creating passwords that you’ll take to the grave. I really ought to apply this advice, as I’m totally irresponsible on the password front.
I dugg Todd’s article, and thought you might want to as well.
2 Comments »
